Highlights: The UN concludes that there is "good reason to believe that victims of October 7 were raped, as were some hostages held in Gaza." However, the UN special representative on sexual violence during conflicts, Pramila Patten, specifies that she cannot estimate the number of this violence. This gave rise to a skirmish with Israel's representative to the UN, who denounced a report which arrived " too late ". But in Israel, this work is still praised by feminist circles. “Thanks to this report, no one will be able to deny that sexual crimes took place,” says Israeli, international jurist, Ruth Halperin Kaddari.

Nearly five months after Hamas' deadly attack on Israel, the UN concludes that there is "good reason to believe that victims of October 7 were raped, as were some hostages...

Middle East: report from the United Nations special envoy on the violence and rapes committed on October 7

Nearly five months after Hamas' deadly attack on Israel, the UN concludes that there is "

good reason to believe that victims of October 7 were raped, as were some hostages held in Gaza

However, the UN special representative on sexual violence during conflicts, Pramila Patten, specifies that she cannot estimate the number of this violence.

This gave rise to a skirmish with Israel's representative to the UN, who denounced a report which arrived "

too late

But in Israel, this work is still praised by feminist circles.

An Israeli soldier walks near kibbutz Beeri, October 12, 2023, a few days after Hamas' assault on a music festival on October 7, 2023. © AFP - ARIS MESSINIS

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondents in

New York,

Carrie Nooten

and in Jerusalem,

Sami Boukhelifa

We thought that their relationship could not improve much further, and yet, exchanges between the UN and Israel became even more tense yesterday, Monday March 4, while the mediating countries tried to impose a truce in Gaza after almost five months of war.

Israel accused, on social networks and in front of the 193 member countries, the

Palestinian Refugee Agency of sheltering “

hundreds of terrorists
”.

And then, in a twist, Israel also recalled its ambassador to the UN, to protest against the organization's "

silence

" regarding the violence committed against Israeli women during the attacks of October 7, when precisely the UN published the report produced by its special envoy on sexual violence in conflicts.

And that Pramila Patten considered

the accusations of rape and violence against Israeli women “

credible ”.

At the beginning of February, Pramila Patten and her technical team of nine people were able to travel to Israel and the West Bank for two and a half weeks.

There they met witnesses and victims of the attacks, freed hostages - even if no direct victim of sexual violence wanted to see them.

They viewed 5,000 photos and 50 hours of footage from the attacks.

And without having the ability to verify the number of victims, the UN special envoy estimated that there was good reason to believe that rapes were committed during the

Hamas attack

, that hostages have suffered various forms of sexual violence - and that such treatment certainly still occurs.

But the report does not establish the systematic nature of these crimes, as Israel claims.

This was an expected report, because for more than four months, Israel has criticized the United Nations for not having “

sufficiently

” denounced this sexual violence against Israeli women, even if the Secretary General deplores it in his speeches.

Surprisingly, the head of Israeli diplomacy recalled his ambassador to protest against attempts by the United Nations to want

to “silence

” this report – which was immediately denied by Antonio Guterres' spokesperson.

Also read: Rape, a weapon of war in Ukraine as elsewhere

A report eagerly awaited in Israel

“

It marks a turning point

,” said Ruth Halperin Kaddari, director of the Rackman Center for Women’s Rights in Israel.

“

There is a clear acknowledgment of the sexual and gender-based violence during the attack and massacre committed by Hamas on October 7.
“Thanks to this report, no one will be able to deny that sexual crimes took place

.”

Israeli, international jurist, Ruth Halperin Kaddari has been mobilized since October 7.

She is fighting on several fronts.

She visited the UN headquarters in Geneva several times.

Objective: to have these crimes recognized by international authorities.

And above all to condemn Hamas.

“

I hope that this report will make it possible to classify Hamas on a blacklist of these organizations which have committed, condoned or permitted sexual violence.
I hope that this will lead to sanctions, and that Hamas will be considered by everyone as a terrorist group

.”

The UN report which has just been made public considers that there are “good reasons to believe that victims of October 7 were raped”.

But it does not establish the systematic nature of these crimes, as Israel claims.

Also listen: Israel-Hamas War: “When there is barbarism, we know that there is also sexual violence”

Middle East: report from the United Nations special envoy on the violence and rapes committed on October 7

Middle East: report from the United Nations special envoy on the violence and rapes committed on October 7

A report eagerly awaited in Israel

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